BACOLOD City – The in-charge of the Bacolod North Public Cemetery, commonly known as Burgos Cemetery, reminds the public: Don’t buy tombstones (lapida) being offered to them.
They were maybe stolen, warned caretaker Ricardo Refugio.
Several tombstones, particularly those made from marbles, were noticeably missing from their respective graves.
The steel bars (kabilya) were also missing, according to Refugio.
He cited several visitors complaining about the missing tombstones of their departed loved ones.
Refugio suspected the missing tombstones were being sold by culprits to other cemeteries like that in Barangay Handumanan.
It was unclear, however, how robbers “recycle” the tombstones.
Some persons were already apprehended for such an illegal act, he added.
Meanwhile, Refugio noted several visitors already coming to the cemeteries.
Cemeteries in Bacolod will be closed from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 based on the executive order (EO) of Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
“Visitor occupancy in all public and private cemeteries, memorial parks, columbaria and the like shall be increased to a maximum of 30 percent of the venue capacity at any given time from Oct. 15 until Nov. 15,” Leonardia said.
During the days of temporary closure, interment or burial services shall still be allowed with the stringent observance of wearing of facemasks and face shields, and physical distancing./PN
